Wild Hearts
by MinnieBSB
Summary: My take on Wildlife :) Please read and review! Love ya'll! Chapter 8 is now up.
1. Chapter 1

**AN I know that I have to update the others, but I wanted to write this… so I did. Wildlife AU, just my take on it. Just like every other EO shipper, I saw this episode as a good opportunity for them. Let me know how ya feel (review and/or pm). Love ya'll!**

**Disclaimer: Still own nothing.**

"I can't do this anymore! I can't be with a man that decides that I'm not important enough to tell when he's leaving!" Kathy rushed around the room, grabbing some of little Eli's clothes to put in a bag. "I'm going to go stay with my sister's for a while. If Elliot needs to talk to me for anything tell him to call my cell phone". Olivia stood there, contemplating her options. She could either do the right thing and talk some sense into Kathy. Or she could do what she wanted to, which was nothing. Elliot would be a bitch to deal with if she did nothing.

"Kathy, why don't you just stay here? I know you and Elliot are having problems, but it's not fair to move Eli around. This is his home". She was quite proud of herself, using the baby in her argument was sure to win Kathy over.

Kathy slowly dropped the bag on to the floor. "You're right, Liv. It's not fair to move Eli. That's why Elliot's the one that's going to leave". Before Olivia had a chance to respond, Kathy was half way up the steps. "That's not what I meant!" Olivia called up the steps. She sighed, realizing that she was going to have to follow her.

She had no clue where their bedroom was, and since she was only Elliot's partner, it was something she didn't need to know. She heard the slam of a drawer and followed the sound. She gasped when she found that Kathy had dumped almost all of Elliot's clothes onto the floor. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me?" she asked, grabbing a trash bag to put his clothes in.

"Don't you think this is a little rash?"

Why did she care so much, this was between Elliot and Kathy, not her and Kathy?

"No, I don't. Elliot hasn't slept here in almost a month. He always tells me that he's at work and for a while I believed him. That is until the night I saw that his car wasn't at the precinct. I brought him something to eat and he wasn't even there". She was shouting now and stuffing his clothes in the bag at a frantic pace.

"I don't care where he was, but he wasn't at work. He doesn't want to be here. He doesn't want to be with me anymore, and you know what? That's okay with me, I just can't handle this horrible in between that the kids and I are living in. He's either here or he's not, and since he won't make the choice, I will. He's out until he shows that he wants to be in".

With that she handed a trash bag full of clothes to Olivia. "This should last him long enough for me to pack up the rest". Olivia had no clue what she was supposed to do with his stuff. "Why are you giving this to me? He's your husband". A single tear made its way down her cheek as she folded some of the remaining clothes on the floor. "He's under cover and can't come get his stuff. Keep it at the station if you have to. I don't want to see him for a while. You're his partner; we both know which one he values more. Thanks for coming, Liv".

Olivia knew that the conversation was done. There was nothing else she could do for now. At least she convinced Kathy to stay home. She sighed as she threw his stuff in the trunk. _He better not shoot the messenger._

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

She never got the chance to tell him just how bad it was with Kathy. She wound up getting kicked out without a shirt. Great. She sighed as she pulled her t-shirt back on. There was no way that they wouldn't punish him for having a woman in the house. She quickly made her way to the car and called Cragen, just to be safe.

She was only a few blocks away when she heard gunshots. _Elliot._ Without thinking, she stepped on the gas and made her way back to the house as fast as possible. She was only a street away when she saw a crowd on the side walk. Some were crying, some were yelling for help. She slammed the brake and parked the car. Her heart was pounding. She held up her badge, pushing her way to the center of the group. "Someone call a bus!" she heard herself shout. That was not her normal voice. The panic in it made it sound slightly higher.

She crouched down next to him, checking for a pulse. He was alive, but there was a lot of blood. "Elliot, Elliot can you hear me?" she cupped his face in her hands, praying he would answer.

"Yea, Liv" he mumbled.

_Thank God!_

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

"Well Mr. Stabler, you sure are lucky. Both of your wounds could have been much, much worse. The only thing I want you to do for this first week is change the bandages twice a day and take your medicine. We don't want any infections. I want to see you in a week from tomorrow. I'm sure you'll keep him straight detective Benson" the nurse said with a wink.

Olivia hadn't left his side since she had been allowed in his room. She had called Kathy to tell her what happened. Kathy said that she was glad Elliot was okay, but she still didn't want him there. Olivia wanted nothing more than to go back there and smack some sense into her.

Now she would have to help him. She hadn't told Elliot the news yet because she really didn't want to tell him in a hospital, but where was she going to tell him?

"I can't wait to go sleep in a real bed". She bit her bottom lip. This was not going to be fun. "El, I don't know how to say this".

"Just say it".

"Kathy doesn't want you in the house". She said it so fast that she wasn't sure he actually knew what she said.

"I don't understand"

"She said that she was tired of you not telling her things and she said that you don't want to be there so you can't be there. You have to prove that you really do want to be there to come back".

"I just got shot! Twice!" He was yelling now and Olivia really didn't know how to make it better.

"Elliot, I don't know what to tell you. I'm just the messenger! I do know that you can stay me with me until you guys get things worked out. Besides, your stuff is in my trunk".

"Why do you ha-"

"Later, I just want to get home. I'll call a nurse to help you get dressed".

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

"Do you want anything to eat?" she offered as she set down his bag. They hadn't said a word to each other since he had been discharged. He was angry and she didn't really want to deal with it.

"Whatcha got?"

"Mac n cheese that I made yesterday and some pickles. As you know I never really have food".

He shrugged, but winced in pain. His shoulder was not ready for that.

After they ate, Elliot was ready for bed. Olivia was already half asleep on the couch. "Liv, Liv go to bed, you look exhausted".

She stretched and yawned, revealing a strip of her tan skin between her shirt and pants. She motioned for him to follow her, and he did. She pulled back the covers on her bed and grabbed a few extra pillows from the closet. "Do you need to change before bed?"

"Yea, just grab me a pair of pajama pants… if Kathy gave me any".

Getting his shirt off was the roughest part. They had cut his sleeve off so it fit over his bandage, but that didn't make it any easier for Olivia. His chest was that of a god, and she had to control herself. His muscles were so defined that she had to try not to drool. _He's married and my partner. Get it under control._ She realized that she had been staring directly at his abs when he cleared his throat. "Enjoying yourself?" he teased.

"Shut up. I can leave these pants on you if you wish" she threatened.

"I'll behave"

"You better"

She refused to look as she slid his pants down. This was not okay. After a few tries, his pajama pants were on and he was all ready for bed.

"You take the bed and I'll take the couch. Sleep tight and holler if you need me". She rushed out of the room so fast that she didn't realize that she never changed. She noticed his bag in the corner of the room. _Better than sleeping in jeans_. She grabbed a pair of Elliot's sweat pants and one of his t-shirts.

It was going to be a long week.


	2. Chapter 2

**An: Thanks so much for all the support! I must say again that I love Wildlife and I am just so happy to write this. I hope you enjoy **

**Let me know how ya feel, all constructive feedback is welcome. Love ya'll!**

**Disclaimer: nope, not mine**

"Olivia!"

She shot up from her spot on the couch and ran into her bedroom. It was still dark in her apartment, telling her something was wrong. Elliot lay in bed, clutching the left side of his chest and sweating. She could see the pain in his face. He never showed his pain.

"How bad is it on a scale of 1-10?" She asked as she ran her hand down his side, trying to comfort him.

"What the hell,Liv? Are you trying to be a nurse now?!"

She shot him a look that normally would have given him chills. She didn't have to help him.

"Have fun dealing with it on your own". She went to stand but was stopped by his grasp on her arm.

"I'm sorry! I'm freaking out; I've never felt this intense of a pain before. The fact that it's on the same side as my heart isn't helping me to calm down. Honestly it's either at an 11 or 12 and I can't take it".

"Lucky for you, we were told that you'd experience some chest pain, you must not have been listening. I'll get you your medicine, just try to relax". She quickly grabbed his pills, a bottle of water, and a damp cloth.

When she returned, he was struggling to get himself into a sitting position. His pain must have been worse than she thought. She set the stuff down on the nightstand and carefully helped him to sit against the pillows. He took his pills and watched as she sat down next to him, cloth in hand.

"I don't want your nasty sweat all over my bed" she explained as she ran the cool cloth down his chest, drawing a content sigh from him.

"That feels very good, Liv" he said as his eyes fluttered shut. He looked worn out. He was probably up for a little bit before he called for her. She looked over at her alarm clock; it was 2:37 in the morning. They both needed rest. She dabbed the cloth along his hairline before letting her fingers rake through his short hair.

"Feel any better?" she asked when he opened his eyes, looking directly at her.

"A little bit, thank you… will you stay with me? I was freaked out even more when I woke and saw that I was alone". He was scared, and he openly admitted that to her. He never admitted that he felt that he needed someone else. How could she say no?

"Of course".

She helped him to lie back down and covered him with the blanket. She lay down next to him on her side so she could continue to massage his scalp. He needed her.

They lay in silence for a while, neither of them sure that sleep would claim them again. She had closed her eyes a little bit ago, hoping she would just fall asleep, but she was not exactly a lucky person.

"Liv" she heard him whisper.

"Yea El?" she replied, her exhaustion evident in her voice.

"I think you should wear my clothes more often".

She sensed his shit eating grin before she even opened her eyes.

"Well, they are pretty comfy, and let's be honest, they look so much better on me".

He felt her head rest against his shoulder as they laughed.

"Oh man" he groaned.

"What? What's wrong now?" she moved her head off of him to give him space.

"I have to pee". His tone was completely serious, but she couldn't help but laugh again, even harder than the first time.

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

"Liv" he said as he gently shook her shoulder. He was trying to wake her up, but he was failing miserably. She was asleep and she wanted to stay that way.

"Livia! Olivia Benson!" he shook her a little harder, causing her to stir.

Perfect.

"Olivia, get up! You have to be at work in ten minutes".

He watched as she shot up and out of bed, running into her bathroom. When he heard the shower running, he started to laugh. This was going to be too good.

It was only about three minutes later when she jogged out of her bathroom, dressed for work with her hair dripping wet. "Cragen is going to kill me!" she exclaimed as she tried to pull on her shoes.

She glanced at the clock on her night stand. She wanted to kill Elliot. She turned and he honestly felt a little scared. He had never seen her eyes that dark before.

"What the hell? It's already nine! I was supposed to be at work two hours ago!"

He tried not to laugh. She was sincerely angry at him, so laughing would only get him a death wish.

"I called Cragen as soon as I woke up, which thanks to the lovely pain in my left arm and chest was 5 am, and he gave you the week off. You get to spend a whole week with me".

"When are you going to call and apologize to Kathy?" she said as she plopped down on her bed. He could tell that she was still angry with him over his little joke, but he knew she would get over it. He watched as she lay back down. He probably should have let her sleep a little longer, but he was being selfish. He had been up for hours and he was bored.

"Liv, I'm not going to call Kathy and apologize. She needs to realize that I haven't really done anything wrong and when she does, I'll be right here".

She groaned and covered her eyes with her hands. Why did men have to be so stupid when it comes to fights? Or more specifically, why did the men in her life have to be so stupid when it came to fights? It was unfair of her to generalize the whole male population, but the woman would always be right, even if they're wrong to begin with.

"So I'm stuck with you for a full week?" she asked as she pulled her blanket back over her body.

"Looks like it… you know that you're excited. When's the last time you had a whole week off?".

"Not in the eleven years that I've worked at SVU have I had a full week off".

"It only took me getting shot twice to get you a vacation. You're welcome by the way" he said with a smirk.

She didn't want to admit it, but she was extremely happy that Elliot wasn't going to call Kathy yet. She hated spending every night alone. She was being selfish. Elliot should be at home with his wife and children, but besides his little pain attack, last night had been fun. They got to tease and joke around like little kids. He was her best friend and a week off from work and responsibility would be good for both of them. She wanted to make the most of it.

"You want to go to the park today?"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n: Thanks again for all the support! I personally think this chapter is cute, so I hope you do too. Please let me know how ya feel. Love ya'll!**

**Disclaimer- I ain't the owner**

Olivia had just finished getting Elliot's shirt on him, a task that was still complicated with two people, when her phone starting to ring.

"Benson" she automatically answered, even though she knew it wasn't a call for work.

"Hey Liv, do you think that you could come and get Eli? I don't want to keep Elliot from his kids just because we're having problems".

"Sure we'll come get him, but what's the real reason she asked with a smirk.

She heard the blonde sigh before answering. "I got called into work even though it's my day off and his usual sitter is busy. I won't be getting in until 10 or so tonight so do you think you could just keep him for tonight? I know I'm asking a lot".

Olivia looked over at Elliot and smiled, his day was just getting better and better, and he didn't even know it yet.

"It's no problem".

"Thanks, Liv! You're a lifesaver".

As soon as she hung up the phone she grabbed her coat and slipped it on.

"What's going on?" Elliot asked as she assisted him in putting his coat on.

"Oh we just have a couple of stops to make before we go to the park".

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOOEOEOEOEOEOEOOEOEOEOEOEO

"Olivia, this is the last place I want to be right now and this is where you bring me?" Elliot's temper was slipping and she didn't feel like dealing with it. She was doing something nice for not only him, but his whole family and if he was going to be a jerk to her then screw him.

"Your wife, you know the one you're not talking to, called _me_ this morning to see if I could keep your son overnight in _my_ apartment. I thought I would be nice and agree so that we could spend the day with him, which is not something you have the opportunity to do often because of our jobs".

She didn't wait for him to respond. What he was going to say didn't matter. By the time she reached the door, Kathy was on the porch with Eli on her hip and a bag in her other hand.

"Livvie" Eli shouted as he reached for her, causing her to laugh.

"Hey there little man, I missed you too". It may have only been a day or so, but she really did miss him.

"Everything you'll need is in here, clothes, diapers, wipes, and a few of his toys. He'll get kind of hungry soon so I packed him some cheerios. Tell Elliot I said I hope he's feeling okay".

Olivia nodded and carried Eli to the car. She watched as Elliot's face lit up when his little boy called for him. "Daddy!"

"Here, take him, I forgot to grab his car seat".

Eli sat in his lap, waiting for his dad to speak. "We have to stop one more place, but then we're going to the park. You like the park, Eli?"

"Park!" the little boy giggled when Elliot started to tickle him.

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

"Where's the next stop?" Elliot asked as Olivia drove away from his house.

"I want some breakfast. I figured we'd eat out for breakfast, go to the park, and then stop at the store so I can make us lunch and dinner".

His eyes went wide. "I've already been shot twice this week and now you want to poison me?"

"And you wonder why your wife would kick you out"

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

She had always loved the park when she was little. She lived a block away so she could go whenever she wanted, even when her mom was drunk. Especially when her mom was drunk. The swings had always been her favorite. She would move her little legs back and forth and wind up so far off the ground that she felt like she was flying.

She gave Eli another gentle push, sending him another foot higher. He was giggling the whole time and she couldn't help but smile. Elliot was in front of the swing, sending Eli back to her with his good arm. To others in the park, they probably looked like a happy family enjoying the park.

"Higher! Higher!"

"Okay, but just a little bit buddy, daddy's arm is getting tired".

Olivia chuckled as she pushed a little harder. Her arms were getting tired too, but she wouldn't admit it. He was having too much fun for her to complain about it.

They slowly let him get lower and lower until he was barely swinging anymore.

"I want slide!"

"Well then let's go!" Olivia told him as she lifted him out of the swing.

Elliot pulled out his phone and started to record them as they climbed the ladder up to the top of the slide.

Olivia settled him on her lap and held him there.

"Ready? 1…2…3!"

They were both laughing as they zoomed down the slide. They moved a little too fast so she didn't exactly stop herself at the bottom of the slide. She wound up in the dirt on her butt, causing Elliot to laugh hysterically.

"Again?" Eli asked in too sweat a voice to resist.

"Of course buddy".

She didn't bother to wipe the dirt off her backside, it would probably happen again.

"Liv, you've got a little something" Elliot told her, gesturing to her butt.

"Thanks El, what would I do without you?"

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

"Okay so the plan got changed a little bit" Olivia said as she carried a sleeping Eli into her apartment. They had played for another hour and Eli had fallen asleep as soon as she started to drive.

Elliot moved her pillows so that one of was on each side of him, just to be safe. She laid him down in the center of the bed before taking off is coat and shoes. She gave him a kick kiss on the cheek before leaving him to nap in peace.

She lay down on her couch, moving her feet so Elliot could sit next to her. She chuckled when he pulled her feet into his lap.

"He is going to be out for at least an hour… You know what that means right?" he asked as he wagged his eyebrows.

"That we can take a nap too?" She asked as she shifted to get more comfortable.

"Exactly".

She awoke a few minutes later when she felt a little hand pat her face.

"Eli, what are you doing up bud?"

"Livvie"

She could tell that he was still tired by the way he was rubbing his eyes.

"Come here". She lifted him up so he could lie on top of her, his head resting in the crook of her neck. She rubbed his back in little circles, lulling him to sleep.

Elliot had been awake the whole time, but he didn't want to ruin the moment. Olivia was so good with Eli, it warmed his heart. She deserved to be a mother, to have the family she had always wanted. She had a natural gift and he loved to see it in action.

"Hush little baby don't say a word, Livvie's gonna buy you a mockin' bird. And if that mockin' bird won't sing, Livvie's gonna buy you a diamond ring" she sang softly to his son as he drifted to sleep.

He really didn't want to go back to Kathy yet. She was a beautiful woman that mothered his children, but she wasn't what he needed, what he wanted. He loved her, but he wasn't _in_ love with her anymore. He knew that he couldn't avoid talking to her all week, especially because they would have to drop Eli off tomorrow.

Once he knew that Olivia and Eli had fallen asleep, he grabbed his phone to text Kathy.

_We need to talk._

He smiled and took a quick picture of his best friend and son on the couch, out like lights before making himself comfy so he could join them.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: so my dog ate my lap top charger and I only just learned that I could do a copy and paste thing from my phone. Please keep in mind that the autocorrect on a phone can be a little insane compared to a computer. It's not a long update but I'd say a fairly important one! Please review, love ya'll!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Come on Eli, we've got to get there and back before daddy wakes up" Olivia whispered to the toddler as she grabbed her purse and keys. Eli had woken from his nap about 20 minutes ago and she had been playing with him since. She was starting to get hungry and knew that she would have to feed Eli soon, so she decided to go to the store without Elliot. She was a little nervous about leaving him alone, so she planned on being as quick as possible. She smiled when Eli ran into her open arms, excited to be carried around for a bit.

(At the store)

"Alright little man, what should we get for dinner? I know your daddy likes Reubens and I think I can handle that. What do you want though? How about spaghetti O's? I know how much you love them" she cooed. He had been eating some of them when she had stopped by the other day. Although he had managed to cover himself with it, he enjoyed them.

She pushed him in the cart down the isle until she found the beloved cans of microwave pasta. "Here we go, buddy".

"He's absolutely adorable! What's his name?" A small elderly woman asked as she approached them. Olivia's smile broadened when Eli tried to burry his face in her shirt, acting bashful. "This is Eli, say hello to the nice lady Eli". Both women laughed when he peaked out from the material of Olivia's shirt with a smile on his face. Olivia ran her hand through his curly blonde hair, a habit that she had no intention of breaking. "I've never seen him act so shy before" she mused out loud.

"Well your mommy is lucky to have such a handsome boy" the woman said as she continued to push her cart down the isle.

Olivia looked at the little boy in front of her, feeling her heart shatter. "She's right, your mommy is very lucky", in so many ways, she added in her head. How could a woman with so much to be thankful for take it for granted?

Getting the groceries in the car while trying to keep an eye on a toddler was not exactly easy. Only when she was finished did she realize that she could have made her life much easier by buckling him up before loading the car. She had heard that raising a child was mostly trial and error. She sighed as she climbed into the drivers seat, intent on going home.

"Man I'm already tired again, all I want to do is sleep... Wait, sleep! Crap, I forgot to get your pack and play for bedtime!". She pressed her forehead against the steering wheel in frustration.

"Well your mommy is at work and I have a key, let's just get it while we're out".

(Stabler residence)

Olivia unlocked the front door and entered the living room with no problem, but something felt off. She jumped when a crash came from the kitchen. She put Eli down next to her and picked up a random shoe that had been sitting next to the door. It wasn't her ideal weapon, but it would work for now. She peaked into the kitchen and nearly fainted at the sight.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kathy yelled as she tried to cover her near bare chest and push the man responsible off of her. Olivia felt her jaw hit the floor when the shoe fell out of her hand. There was no way Elliot knew about this.

"I-I needed his pack and play and you-you were supposed to be working and I really... Who is this?" The confusion she felt was far too evident in her tone.

"He's no one Liv. I'm heading to work in a little while. His pack and play is in his room. Why don't you go get it and we'll straighten up?"

Olivia simply nodded and did as she was told, but her mind was reeling. Was she supposed to tell Elliot? How long had Kathy been seeing this man? Who the hell was this man?

"Oh Eli, your daddy is going to be so mad". By the time Olivia returned to the kitchen, Kathy was dressed and alone.

"Do you want to explain any of that to me?"

Kathy shook her head. "It's not your business, Liv".

Olivia felt like she had been slapped in the face. "How the hell is it not my business?! You kicked out your husband and now he's staying with me and I have your kid! Don't I deserve to know what's going on?"

Kathy sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, but now really isn't the right time... Do you think you could drop Eli off tomorrow morning? I swear to god I have work tonight. I can play the message my boss left me".

Olivia shook her head. "No need, I'll drop him off... You know that I can't just pretend that I didn't see that, right?"

Kathy simply shrugged. "Liv, Elliot moved on a long time ago. He may not have physically, but his heart has been out of this for a while. I need someone that actually wants me. Can you just tell him that I got his text and that I completely agree? It's time to be grown ups".

(Olivia's apartment)

She watched as Elliot dug into the Reuben that she had made for him. He had been awake when she returned, so she made him dinner. Eli had already finished his spaghetti O's and was in need of a bath.

Elliot had been watching her with a close eye ever since her return. She was great at masking her feelings, but not when it came to him. He knew her too well. She knew that he would get it out of her, but she wanted Eli to be asleep before that happened.

"Are you angry at your wall, because you've been staring at it pretty intensely since you sat down?" He teased before taking another big bite of is sandwich.

She blinked a few times, trying to get her eyes to refocus. "I'm fine, just lost in my thoughts I guess".

(Later)

Olivia and Elliot had worked together to give Eli his bath. She washed his hair while Elliot distracted him with a little toy boat. It was actually a fun time because of the fact that Eli found it funny to splash them every time they said his name. Olivia knew that his little game would cause a lot of clean up, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"Alright buddy, it's time to get some sleep"

Elliot told his son after she dressed him in his pajamas. She couldn't believe that it was already 8 o'clock. Time flys when you have bad news to deliver. Before she knew it, she held a sleeping Eli in her arms, reading to go to bed. She carefully placed him in his pack and play so he could rest.

After they changed his bandage, which was the most unpleasant task for him thus far, Elliot sat on the couch, waiting for her to spill it. "Tell me" he ordered, but in a light tone.

"El" she warned as she sat down next to him.

"Come on, what are friends for?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Why did she have to be in the middle of all this? Why couldn't they fight like a normal married couple and pretend that everything was okay?

"Do you see any hope for you and Kathy to make things work?" She finally asked.

She saw him shake his head out of the corner of her eyes. He knew something was up.

"What'd she do?"

"I think the better question would be who"


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: this is so inconvenient to do on a phone. I just can't stand it! Oh well, hope ya like the chapter. Please review or PM me with your feelings

Disclaimer: I don't own the show and I'm half tempted to throw this phone out a window

"I can't believe it" he said after a period of silence.

She didn't know what to say. There was nothing she could say that would make a difference.

"I suspected that she cheated on me a while ago, but she told me that she would never...and I believed her".

Olivia watched as unshed tears filled his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, El. I shouldn't have told you...". He shook his head and gestured for her to come closer. She complied and tried not to flinch when his good arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"No, I'm glad you told me. I knew our marriage was over years ago, but I just never thought that she would find me to be so horrible that she had to cheat on me".

Olivia hated to see him so upset. It was unnatural and just confusing to her. Elliot Stabler seldom cracked, and it was usually in the privacy of his own home. She coaxed him to rest his head on her shoulder, "Marriage is a commitment of two people, which means that it's not just your fault that it ended. Her choices don't reflect poorly on you, but on her" she explained as she ran her fingers through his short hair, wondering why she only seemed to do that with the Stabler boys.

"Thanks, Liv... I'm sorry you have to deal with all this".

"No matter how annoying it is, I'm here for you, your kids, and even Kathy".

She felt him back away from her a bit so she turned towards him, causing their eyes to lock.

"Now that I think about it, I'm a very lucky man".

"Yea, you have 5 healthy kids and-"

"I meant because I have you".

She felt the heat rise in her cheeks because of his words. They had always relied heavily on each other, but they never pointed it out.

"Well, I'm pretty fortunate to have you too".

The intensity of his gaze was almost too much for her to handle. She felt a flutter in her chest when his face started to come closer to her own. She felt like fainting when his lips touched the corner of her mouth.

Before she could react, Eli let out a loud cry from the bedroom.

She heard Elliot sigh, causing her to chuckle. "I'll be back in a few".

Eli stood in his pack and play, tears streaming down his cheeks, waiting for her to pick him up.

"What's wrong big boy?" She asked as she lifted him up. She quickly sniffed to check his diaper and she relieved to find that wasn't a problem. "Did you have a bad dream?". She hoped that she could calm him back down.

After a moment in her arms, his tears subsided. "See, it's not so bad. Why don't we lay down until you fall asleep?"

She settled in her bed and put Eli on chest like she had earlier in the day. "You know, I love cuddling with you like this. I always pictured myself married with a few kids by this point in my life, but I like this too". She loved knowing that at that exact moment, she meant the world to this little boy.

He had only been asleep for a few moments when she felt her eyes flutter. She had to fight to keep them open. She decided to just rest them for a moment since she couldn't move Eli until he was in a deeper sleep.

(In the morning)

She faintly heard Elliot talking to Eli in the early morning. "Say bye-bye to Livvie" she barely heard him whisper. She tried to say bye to him, but it came out as a mumbled mess. She was originally supposed to drop him off later, but plans change. The need for more sleep was too strong, so she rolled over and snuggled herself deep in the blankets.

(Couple of hours later)

She awoke with a splitting headache. It felt similar to a hang over, but she was stone cold sober. There was a light tapping on the door, causing her clutch her head in her hands, trying to make the pounding stop. Elliot peaked in the room and laughed loudly, bringing forth a groan from deep in her throat.

"It's almost 11, I wanted to let you sleep in, but at this point your sleep schedule is going to be wrecked" he explained as he sat on the edge of the mattress.

"My head is killing me" she whined.

"Let me get you some aspirin". Normally she would insist that she get it herself, but she felt miserable.

"I don't understand it, you felt completely fine yesterday" he pondered as she took the pills with a large gulp of water.

"I used to get migraines a lot in college, but it hasn't happened too much in these last few years and I figured that's because-what the hell happened to you?"

She had become too distracted by the awkward looking bandage that Elliot now wore on his chest. It was all crooked and one of the four corners stuck up. A slight blush creeped up on his cheeks, making her feel bad for pointing it out.

"You were asleep and I needed to freshen up so I decided to give myself a sponge-bath and then change my bandage. You make it look really easy, but you have two hands and I don't".

"Which explains why it's crooked" she finished for him.

She gestured for him to come closer to her so that she could fix it.

"There, all better... In a few days you get to take a real shower".

"Do I smell so bad that you have a countdown going?" He asked, feigning hurt.

"Absolutely" she deadpanned.

He pouted and rested his head against her shoulder. She immediately sensed the change in the mood. This was no longer play time.

"Kathy decided to pick up Eli this morning... So she could hand me the divorce papers in person". Olivia felt her heart pounding in her chest, but she knew that it was for selfish reasons.

"She was completely honest about everything for once. That guy you saw with her last night, his name is Lucas and he apparently makes her very happy. I guess that after years of simply living together and not really being the way a married couple should be, she got tired. She deserves to be happy and so do I".

"Are you happy about this, El?" She asked in a soft tone.

"Let's put it this way, she left the apartment with the papers signed and in her hands".

Olivia's brow raised and she winced a bit from the shot of pain in her head. "You are taking this extremely well" she observed.

"Well, I have you to help me through this... What do you say we just have a nice lazy day today? I'm not in the mood to go do anything".

She nodded and settled herself back in the warmth of her bed. He smiled when she lifted the covers, inviting him closer to her.

"I guess I can join you for a little bit, but the granola bar I ate earlier is only going to last me all day".

"But you wouldn't want to risk that nice figure of yours" she teased as she rested her head against his bare chest, using it as a pillow. Her hair tickled him a bit, but he didn't mind.

"This is exactly what I need" she said as she snuggled into his side even further, coaxing him to wrap his arm around her.

Normally, she would have scolded herself for being so attached to her partner, but he was finally going to be free soon. No longer did she have to worry about his wife. She had a chance and as scary as that was, she was going to take it. However, she knew that she had to be careful and slow or she would risk scaring him off. He chose to end his marriage and because of that, she could enjoy moments like the current one more.

"Wake me up if you make food later" she instructed as she closed her eyes.

He chuckled and let his lips rest against her forehead in a warm kiss. "Get some rest" he said as he stroked her back, watching contentedly as her breath evening out. His smile grew when her soft hand brushed his hip and her leg entangled in his own.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thanks to everyone for all the support! I'm scared that I'm going to lose some of it because of some of the content of this chapter. I know that I've shown a lot of Olivia's motherly side, but this one shows a completely different side of her. I'm probably making a bigger deal of this than is needed, but you have been warned. **

**PS: There should really b or ½ M rating because I would so use it right now**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing besides my dignity. Oh yea… I lost that a while ago!**

They had stayed true to their word. They did nothing all day. The only time they left the bed was when either the bathroom or a snack was needed. Both Elliot and Olivia were content with cuddling and watching movies all day.

The next day, Elliot decided that he would teach his partner how to bake sugar cookies. He had done it with all of his girls when they were little and he really wanted to do it with her. Her mother wasn't the type to take the time to show her how to bake, so he would do it.

"Okay boss, what are we making today?" she excitedly asked as she pulled her hair into a tight pony tail.

"Sugar cookies. Have you ever made them before?" she shook her head.

"Let's get started then".

It only took a few minutes to make the dough with Elliot telling her exactly what to do. She giggled when she realized that he had been using his phone to take pictures.

"What is with all the pictures lately?" she inquired as she mixed the dough.

"I don't know, I guess that because I have always missed a lot of the little moments I just want to remember the ones I do get… man our jobs really suck sometimes. The dough likes nice by the way, good job so far" he complimented. "Now you have to roll it out".

He stopped her from grabbing the ball of dough out of the bowl. "Hold up, you have to put some flour on your hands and the counter so it doesn't stick" he explained, sprinkling some flour on the countertop.

"Now hand me that rolling pin". He repeated the action. "Now you may proceed".

"How's that?" she asked once the dough was rolled out into a nice thin rectangle.

"Perfect".

"Hmmm, not quite. I think we need a little more flour".

Elliot was confused until he felt her flour covered hands pat his chest, leaving two powder prints on his black shirt. It had taken him quite a bit of time to get that on earlier that morning.

"I can't believe you ju-" he was cut off because this time her hands left their prints on his cheeks. She was laughing hysterically at the look of shock on his face.

"It's on" he growled before grabbing a handful of flour and smacking her butt. She jumped and glared at him, but he knew she wasn't actually mad.

"It's only fair, Liv". This time he put his hand on the other cheek, wishing that he had the ability to use both hands. She merely chuckled and shook her head. She had caught him ogling at her behind before, but he usually just acted like he was looking elsewhere. He had never been this carefree around her.

"Turn around" he ordered, somewhat surprised when she listened.

Her jaw dropped when she heard the familiar click of his cell phone camera.

"Did you just take a picture of my ass?"

He nodded with his shit-eating grin, not expecting her to grab the phone from him.

"Smile!" she said in a sing-song voice, capturing his flour covered front.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

(I'm sorry if anyone has an issue with this part!)

Later, Elliot sat on the couch while she carved out her cookies. They hadn't thought about her lack of cookie cutters until they were all cleaned up and changed. She had insisted that she would just use a knife and make her own, but he couldn't see until they were done. She had been working for close to 20 minutes and he was dying to see them.

"Are you almost done?"

"They're going in the oven now, so hush".

Luckily, it only took about 15 minutes for them to bake. He heard Olivia laughing from the kitchen, and he decided that he had been waiting long enough.

He couldn't keep his mouth shut when he saw the cookie Olivia was holding.

"Is that what took you so long?" he questioned, not believing his eyes. She nodded, unable to speak because of her laughter which now sounded like she was wheezing.

"Really, Liv? What are we in freshman year of high school again?".

He had to admit that he was impressed. It took some talent to bake a cookie that looked exactly like a penis. She had even managed to carve a vein going up it.

"Come touch my dick, El…It's hard". He burst out laughing when she handed him the cookie. It had over-baked slightly, so it was actually hard.

"You're not going to make a joke about being hot for me?" he asked playing along before giving her the cookie back.

"You don't want to eat i?" she asked him with mock surprise.

"Surprisingly, I don't swing that way".

"Fine then".

He watched in awe as her tongue darted out and licked the tip of the cookie.

"This tastes so good!" she moaned, driving him insane. She was trying to kill him. Two bullets may not have been able to, but she sure as hell could. It was the hottest thing he had ever seen or heard. He didn't know exactly how it happened, but before he could stop himself, his lips pressed against hers in a hungry kiss. She eagerly allowed him access to her mouth, letting their tongues fight for dominance. They separated as soon as he realized what he had done.

"I'm so sor-"

She put her finger to his lips shushing him.

"That was much better than the cookie". She put the cookie back on the tray while he pulled her closer to him with his good arm. He gave her a gentle peck on the lips. They had a silent agreement; enjoy now, questions and labels could be dealt with later.

"You want to see the other ones?" she asked, changing the subject. She carefully grabbed two other cookies off of the tray, handing one to him and holding the other one so he could see it. He knew by the shape but it was, but the numbers 4015 reassured him. The one in her hand said 6313, his badge number.

"These are awesome, Liv. I almost don't want to eat them".

"They're cookies El, the whole idea is that you bake them and eat them".

He shrugged and took a picture of them, which was something that he wanted to remember later.

"You didn't get the picture that I wanted though". She grabbed the phone and pointed it at them, quickly pressing her lips to his, making him moan in surprise. She looked at the picture and a warm smile took over her face. They looked good together.

She was honestly surprised with herself. She was keeping her shit together pretty well considering that she and Elliot had kissed three times within the last ten minutes. She wanted nothing more than to call Casey and Alex and fill them in like a high school girl who just had her first kiss.

"I think this one is my new favorite" he said, looking at the picture of them over her shoulder. "Well, that one may not be as good as the one of your ass, but I feel like I'm supposed to pick this one" he teased earning himself a playful yet somewhat painful hit to the stomach.

**AN: Don't hate me!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Toned it down again for this chapter, lol! I'm glad no one hates me **** I guess I just like to throw people off sometimes. The drama ensues and the fluff does too! Thanks for all the support and please let me know how ya feel! Love ya'll!**

***Just a warning that I might throw more random stuff like the last chapter in. I shall use this story as somewhat of a guinea pig**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

"I can't believe that I let you talk me in to doing this".

Olivia had spent the better part of an hour begging Elliot to spend a day in the city with her. It sounded completely ridiculous at first considering the fact that they had both lived in New York for as long as they could remember. However, she made a very good argument when she brought up the fact that the last time she went to Times Square was almost six years ago and the city was always changing. Her argument wasn't what broke him though; it was her adorable pouty face. She bottom lip poked out and her eyes were big and hypnotizing. It was impossible to say no.

Ironically, Elliot had never been a fan of crowds or crowded areas. That's why living in Queens was almost a relief to him. People were too rude. When someone doesn't move fast enough they get pushed out of the way or even trampled if they're not careful. The city was a jungle.

He remembered taking the kids to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall when Lizzy and Dickie were only five years old. He had a more positive outlook on life and people in general then, and even a full head of hair. Years on the job tore that happy view right out of the spirit and replaced it with a more apprehensive and almost pessimistic one. The kids had loved every moment of it and haven't been there since.

"Elliot! Look at that!" Olivia pointed to the Disney store on the other side of the road. His eyes naturally rolled. The kids were less excited when they first went there.

"You haven't gone there? It's been here for a little while"

She shook her head. "I'm a grown woman with no kids, I wasn't about to go there alone". He gave her a half smile. He hated hearing about the things that she wasn't able to do or the things she felt that she needed someone else to do with her. She was one of the best people on the planet and yet she was alone for most of her life.

"Well then, what are we standing here for? We have a Disney store to go to" he said as he led her to the front entrance.

The hustle and bustle of the store was nothing compared to that of the streets. If it weren't for a few screaming children, he would almost call it peaceful.

"This is awesome" he heard her whisper to herself. He chuckled as she took it all in. Yesterday she had made perverted cookies, but somehow she magically turned into a little girl overnight.

"We should get the kids something! What do they like?"

Elliot raised a brow at her, trying to ask the question that was burning in his mind: _Is this for the kids, or for you?_

"You do realize that Maureen graduated college last semester and the twins are in high school, right?"

"Come on, you're telling me that they wouldn't like a little stuffed animal or something of their favorite character when they were little?"

He decided to give it a shot. At least Olivia would have some fun with it even if the kids weren't as thrilled with it as she was.

After twenty minutes of actually looking around and twenty minutes of searching for Olivia after she wandered off, they had a stuffed animal for each child, except Kathleen.

"Really Elliot, you don't know who her favorite princess is or anything?"

"She always changed her mind when she was little. One week Cinderella was her favorite and then the next Belle was".

Olivia wanted to get the right thing for her, but it was hard.

"Why couldn't she just love Tinkerbell like every other girl?"

Elliot's eyes widened at the mention of the little fairy. He had completely forgotten about her. He had seen Kathleen wearing a charm bracelet with a Tinkerbell charm and she had a keychain.

"She does, Liv. She loves Tinkerbell. I think she even dressed as her for Halloween a couple of years ago now that you mentioned it".

"So we spent all that time…never mind".

"What was your favorite character?" he asked as he grabbed a little stuffed Tinkerbell doll off of the shelf.

"I wasn't a huge fan of the princesses…but I'm in love with Winnie the Pooh" she confessed, blushing.

"Winnie the Pooh didn't come on TV until the late 80's"

"I know, but I had the book and stuff when I was little. He was always my favorite. Do you mind waiting for a second, I have to use the bathroom?"

He took the basket and her purse from her so she could go.

Once she was out of eyesight, he picked up one more thing and made his way to the register. His credit card wasn't feeling too good afterwards, but he was excited.

They spent the next few hours shopping in stores like the Hersey store and even went to the Rockefeller Center to grab some food. They were both spent by time the sun set.

Olivia insisted on paying for the cab that they chose to take instead of squeezing themselves into the cramped subway. Elliot knew that if he had tried to give her the money for it, she would have killed him. She liked to make it crystal clear that she was perfectly capable of paying herself.

Although he grew up with the teachings that the man should always pay because that was the proper thing to do, he liked that she wouldn't let him. She was independent but still knew when to let him pay. She wasn't frilly and demanding like Kathy had been. She always wanted to be treated like a Princess by her Prince Charming, but Olivia wanted him to know that she was more of a knight than she was a monarch. She liked to fight the battles.

"I can't wait to see the kids! I really hope they like it" she said as she unlocked her door.

"I'm sure that they will love it. Dickie will most likely be the one to play it cool. Seventeen year old boys don't have stuffed Goofy dolls".

She chuckled as she dropped the bags on the floor and kicked off her shoes. "I know, but deep down he'll love it".

"I can talk to Kathy and see if we can see them all this weekend" he offered as he struggled to shrug off his jacket.

"That'd be nice…but you two still need to talk to them about the divorce. I'm sure that Kathy waited to tell them".

She looked somewhat bummed out. They would probably be too upset or focused on him and Kathy to enjoy their presents.

"Close your eyes" he commanded. She obeyed and quickly shut her eyes.

He tried to be as quiet as possible while rummaging through the bags.

"Alright, open them".

She gasped at the sight in front of her. Elliot was holding a huge, plush Pooh bear that was the size of two bed pillows.

"Oh El, you didn't have to do that. That had to cost a fortune!" She wrapped her arms around the bear, embracing the soft fabric.

"You said that you loved Winnie the Pooh, and the price actually wasn't too bad, not that it matters".

She shifted her bear so she could hold it with one arm, pulling him to her with the free one. He returned the embrace in full and kissed the tip of her nose. She rubbed her nose against his, giving him an Eskimo kiss.

"Did I just make you even more playful Ms. Benson?"

"I guess you'll just have to find that out for yourself ".

The Pooh bear was forgotten as their hands started to roam, feeling as much of the other as they could. Olivia moaned when Elliot nibbled on her bottom lip, begging her for access to venture in the depths of her mouth. Before she gave it to him, she managed to gain some control and sandwich his bottom lip between her two.

The piercing ring of his cellphone startled them. Olivia's chest was heaving and his face was flushed.

"I swear to God, whoever it is will have a foot up their ass next time I see them" he said.

He grabbed his phone out of his coat pocket, not even bothering to check who was calling.

"Stabler. Oh…what? I have no clue. Yea? Alright, I'll be there soon".

Olivia picked up her bear and held it close to her, waiting for Elliot to explain.

"That was Lizzy, she said Kathy never came home last night and isn't answering her phone. Eli was crying in the background and she asked me to come over".

Olivia had a bad feeling about all of this, but she shook it off. "Alright, let's go then".

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

(Stabler Residence, Queens)

"Thank God you're here! Eli hasn't stopped crying and we can't figure out what's wrong" Lizzy said as her father and his partner made their way up the porch steps.

Dickie handed his little brother over to Olivia once they were all settled in the living room. The little boy was red-faced and warm from all of the crying. She knew what the problem was immediately and made her way to the freezer. The twin teenagers exchanged a look, but not a word was said as Olivia grabbed a teething ring out of the freezer. After making sure it was clean, she gave it to Eli. It only took a few minutes for him to calm down and rest against her chest.

"How did you figure that out?" A stunned Lizzy asked. Dickie had suggested that they check him for a rash or something, but they never found anything.

"He's at the age where his lateral incisors are coming in and even his canines are starting".

Even Elliot's jaw dropped at her words. How the hell did she know so much about teething? He watched as Eli practically melted into Olivia and drifted off into a light slumber.

"He didn't have his nap today so I guess he's fine to just sleep" Dickie said.

"I never realized how precious quiet is until right now" Lizzy mused.

Elliot chuckled; his kids must have had a rough day.

"So, your mother didn't come last night?"

They both shrugged. "I guess not. She said she was going out last night…it's not the first time it's happened. I just wished that she would have answered her phone though" Lizzy explained.

"Does she normally answer her phone?" Olivia asked, careful not to wake Eli.

"Yea, that's why I'm a bit worried".

Elliot and Olivia locked eyes, reading the other's thoughts.

_Something's wrong._

"Do you know where she went?" Elliot asked, turning it on to cop mode.

"She went out with some guy...immediately after she told us about the divorce". Lizzy tried not to show too much emotion, but they were making her worry about her mother. They had all known that the divorce was inevitable, and honestly, all of the kids were happy to get rid of the constant fighting.

"I'm so sorry…I thought we would tell you together".

Olivia shifted Eli in her arms, trying to relieve the ache that he was causing in her arm. She preferred to lie down, but she couldn't. The conversation was awkward enough now and she didn't want to draw any attention to her. Elliot hadn't said a word about their relationship and she felt like she was betraying them.

"Daddy, you both were miserable. I'm happy that you guys are moving on". Elliot was stunned at his daughter's maturity. She even kissed him on the cheek. Dickie simply nodded, his sister had covered it.

"So you don't know where she went? How about what time she left?" Olivia interjected, accidentally ruining the moment.

"She left at eight last night, and I don't know where she went".

"Has she contacted either of your sisters?" Elliot asked, wishing that Kathy was here so he could scream at her for being so careless.

"Katie said that mom talked to her around 8:30 last night, but nothing since then. The background was really noisy. Mo hasn't talked to her in a few days".

Elliot groaned. "Why?" he quietly asked God. Olivia wanted nothing more than to grab his hand and tell him it would be okay, but she was a little preoccupied.

"I don't want either of you to panic because she's probably fine, but I'm going to call Captain Cragen. It's better to be safe than sorry".


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: I knew that I wanted to get here with this since I've started it and I hope that you don't ask what drugs I'm on…it's a secret. LOL! But seriously though, I think you'll be surprised with this one and hopefully you will stay with me to see where exactly I'm going with it. Also, 50 followers! I actually had a tear drop slip out when I saw that! Thanks so much everyone! I give you all virtual hugs xoxo**

**Disclaimer: I don't own law and order svu and I admit that it's probably good that I don't**

"Well, we double checked with both Kathleen and Maureen. Neither of them has talked to Kathy since before she went missing. On the bright side, they are on the way to your house as we speak so Liv can join the search" Munch informed a very tired and stressed out Elliot.

They had been at for six hours. Six unproductive hours.

Elliot called every family member within the surrounding states, hoping that one of them had talked to her. After 17 phone calls, he was left at where he started…with nothing.

"Why don't you take an hour in the cribs? I'll let you know if we find something" Cragen offered, placing a hand on his best detective's shoulder. It was nearing 3am and Elliot wanted to take the hour, but he couldn't. He needed to make sure that Kathy was safe, and if she was, he was going to make sure she knew the hell they went through to find her.

"I'm good; I'll wait until Benson gets here to fill her in".

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Do you think she's still alive?" a very sleepy Dickie asked as Olivia tucked him in. He may be a teenage boy, but he loved the fact that Olivia was there to comfort him while his mother was missing.

"Of course I do" she answered confidently. "We don't even know what the situation is yet, so why think such negative things?"

She knew that she had to stay positive for the kids. It was almost 3am and she was just now getting them to go to sleep. Lizzy eventually passed out on the couch, so she decided to let her sleep. Dickie, on the other hand was still struggling to relax enough to sleep. He hadn't expressed his concerns at all over the last six hours and Olivia could only imagine how worried he was.

"Do you think she's just doing this for attention?"

"Do you?" she turned the question back at him; why else would he ask that?

"I don't know…she just hasn't been herself lately".

Olivia sat on the edge of his bed, soothingly running her fingers through his hair. She smiled to herself when the thought crossed her mind; _it really must be these Stabler boys. _

"What do you mean?"

"She's just been really sad all the time and then there's days when she'll be okay one minute and the next she's screaming because someone left an empty glass on the table. It's just not normal".

"No, no it's not…Look sweetie, do you think you could get some sleep now? I need to get to the station once your sisters get here". She needed to tell him what Dickie had just told her.

He nodded, closing his eyes.

She bent down and kissed his forehead.

"It'll be okay in the morning" she promised, praying that she was telling the truth.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"You are a life saver". Elliot took a big gulp of the coffee that Olivia brought him. He wasn't sure if his stomach could physically handle another cup of the stuff Munch had made. It was certainly considered an acquired taste. "How are the kids holding up?"

She sat down at her desk, taking a sip of her own coffee before answering.

"Eli only woke up once and I got him to go back down pretty easily. Lizzy was crying for a little while because she's scared that Kathy's in trouble, but she fell asleep on the couch not long after. Dickie on the other hand, I'm worried about him".

"Why?"

"He was really upset and he said something that caused some red flags to go up".

"Well what did he say?" he asked, getting a little impatient

"He said that she's been moodier than usual. One minute she's fine and the next she's yelling or sad. That and we know that she's with that guy… I don't like the sound of it, El".

"You don't think…"

"I hope not"

"I can't imagine her ever doing that"

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Just got a call from Mercy General" Fin yelled loud enough to quiet the rest of the room.

"What do we have?" Cragen asked.

"A man named Henry Ogden just brought Kathy in…she overdosed on Coke, being treated now".

"Go get Stabler".

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Olivia and Elliot had fallen asleep in the lounge/loft area above the squad room. They hadn't originally planned on falling asleep, but they were both exhausted. The cell phone records from the last month lie on the floor, forgotten about. Elliot sitting up with one arm around Olivia, who was sitting on his lap, curled up in a ball. The whole thing looked uncomfortable, but neither of them cared.

Fin was surprised to see them like that at first, but at the same time, he was surprised he hadn't seen them like that sooner.

"Stabler" he said just loud enough to bring both of them out of their sleepy states.

"Yea? What did we find?" he asked as Olivia moved off of him, blushing.

"Kathy…she's in the hospital".

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Mercy General

Kathy was still unconscious due to the detox. Elliot saw a man sitting by her side, waiting for her to wake up.

"Is that him?" Elliot asked, gesturing to the other man.

"Yea, he was the one in the house the other day. I'm not surprised that she was with him" Olivia answered, staying in the doorway as Elliot walked in.

"Who the hell are you?" Elliot asked the slightly shorter, brunette man that held his wife's hand.

"Henry Ogden and you are?"

"Her husband" he spat.

Olivia felt the blow of his words as she stood in the doorway. He had just called her his wife. He still thought of her that way. She would always be his wife in his memory.

"It's over between you two" the other man countered.

Elliot knew that and he sure as hell didn't need this punk to explain it to him.

"Yes, it is, but she is still the mother of my children. You've got a lot a nerve being here, but since you are, I'm going to need you to tell me what happened".

Olivia slowly made her way into the room, making her presence known. When Elliot saw her, he knew that he had messed up, big time. He would make it up to her later.

"We went to a club last night and she met some people that she hit it off with. They invited us to come back to their place and we were all a little drunk so we went. I didn't know that they were coke heads. I tried to get her to leave, but she got mad at me. She told me that I was a kill joy and that I could leave if I was uncomfortable. I stayed to keep an eye on her. I guess she did a little too much considering it was her first time and now we're here".

Elliot and Olivia locked stares, the time line made no sense. There was too much time unaccounted for. Henry was feeding them shit.

Before Olivia could stop him, Elliot grabbed Henry by the collar of his shirt, lifting him off the ground and backing him into the wall.

"Look, we can do this here or at the precinct. You're going to tell me where you actually were and what actually happened or I can kill you. It's your choice".

"El?"

Kathy had woken up to find her soon to be ex-husband pinning her boyfriend to the wall while Olivia just stood there. The situation at hand was far from normal.

"Kathy, we need you to tell us what happened" Olivia calmly said, gaining control of the room. Elliot reluctantly let go of Henry, causing him to fall on his knees. Olivia rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Kathy.

"I made some really bad choices, Liv".

Olivia took the chair next to the bed and sat down, waiting for her to continue.

"When Elliot became distant again, I became really depressed. I started to go out on Friday nights to try and build my confidence back up, to find someone that really wanted me. I met Henry at a bar one night and we just hit it off. He really is a good man, you have to believe me…but I still didn't feel good. I kept thinking about the fact that Elliot and I were so young when we got together and then I got pregnant with Maureen. I don't know if we ever would have married if we didn't have her. I didn't get to do a lot of things that teenagers get to do because I was pregnant. I never got to party, or just go out whenever I wanted. One night a couple of weeks ago, we did meet a bunch of coke heads at a club and I tried it…I haven't been the same since".

Olivia watched as the woman next to her came apart, each piece being more bent than the previous. She had seen Kathy Stabler angry, happy, and bloody, but never like this. This Kathy Stabler was a crying mess.

Elliot slowly made his way to the other side of the bed, holding his hand out for her to take.

"Kathy, are you saying that you've been doing cocaine?"

She nodded and pulled her hand out from his so she could cover her face with it.

"Have you ever done it in front of the kids?"

She shook her head.

"That's why I needed to stay out. I hadn't had it in days and I craved it so bad that I just crashed there. Henry stayed with me to make sure I was okay. Then I overdosed".

Elliot and Olivia exchanged looks; neither of them could believe that she was doing cocaine. Never in a million years would Elliot guess that she'd be someone that turned to drugs.

"Am I going to be arrested?"

Olivia shook her head.

"No, but you are going to tell us where this house full of coke heads is, that way we can get them on possession. We're going to get you some help, that way you can get better".

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Precinct

Everyone had left once Kathy had been found. Cragen had given both of them a couple of extra days off since they would have to work out a schedule that would work with the kids.

Elliot sat at his desk, staring off into space. Since no one else was in the squad room, Olivia sat on his lap while she informed Maureen on Kathy's condition.

"I know Mo; none of us expected it either. Look, your dad and I will be there in a little bit, get some rest".

"How's your arm feeling?" she asked, remembering how he lifted Henry with such ease.

"Like I lifted a 190 pounds man…just a little sore". He hadn't taken his pain medicine earlier and he wasn't wearing the sling, so he knew that he would feel some more pain later.

"I'll ice it when we get to the house".

Elliot was truly astonished by the woman sitting on his lap. She had been his rock for a decade. She was the one that helped him get back together with Kathy the first time. She helped bring his youngest child into the world and even took him in when he had nowhere else to go. She treated his kids like his own and her heart was the biggest out of anyone he had ever met.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, making him smile.

"I don't deserve you" he admitted sadly, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Why do you say that?"

"I know my slip up at the hospital upset you, but you haven't even said anything about it. I say that we just tell the kids when we get to the house, but you call them anyway. My life is a chaotic mess, but you still deal with me anyway".

She chuckled. "Look, Elliot, the way I see it is that you're just getting back at me for leaving for Oregon and the whole mess with Simon. I think we're even".

She kissed him on the cheek and then again on the lips. She moaned when he held her there longer than she originally intended.

"I can't believe that so much has happened in less than a week" he mused as she planted little kisses along his jaw.

"And there's more fun to come" she reminded him.

"I have never been alone with the kids".

"And you won't be now. I'll be there".

"You just became even more amazing" he whispered before nibbling on her ear. She bit her bottom lip, trying not to moan. He was driving her crazy. She wanted him, but they both needed to go get some sleep or at least get out of the squad room.

"Let's go home".

**AN: So, what do you think of far-fetched early stage of drug addiction Kathy? **


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hey ya'll, I'm still alive! I went on a couple unexpected trips to deal with some family issues and then a vacation. I'm glad to be back and writing again. Thank you all for the support **

**For the next chapter, I am thinking of some lighter M material. If you have any questions or concerns please message me! I also will be bringing back the case that started it all. If you haven't actually watched Wildlife, I suggest that you do so or I will be spoiling it for you! Hope you enjoy. Love ya'll!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it and we all know that **

Kathleen smiled as the detective peacefully slept on the couch. She had noticed that Olivia was shaking a bit from the crisp chill that every autumn morning brought, so she carefully tucked a throw blanket around her. The grateful sigh that passed through the older woman's lips assured her that she did the right thing.

Eli was already up and playing with his toys. Maureen had been watching him, but she had to go to work. Kathleen offered to stay and watch him until one of the twins awoke, but she had forgotten how long teenagers could sleep. It was nearing ten and she had a job of her own to go to. She really didn't want to wake her father or Olivia, but she only had so many options. After seeing how at ease Olivia looked, she decided that her father was the one she would wake.

She softly knocked on the door of the bedroom that her parents used to share. The divorce may have been a long time coming, but she had convinced herself long ago that they would never actually do it. They enjoyed making the other miserable far too much to actually go through with it.

"Come in" her father rasped.

"Hey, dad" Kathleen greeted, knowing that he wasn't always the most pleasant person to deal with in the morning.

"Good morning" he said, patting the edge of the bed. Kathleen sat on the edge of the bed, grabbing her father's hand in her own.

"I know you didn't get much sleep, but I have to go to work soon. Eli has been good all morning. He already had breakfast and now he's playing in the nursery".

Elliot groaned, but pulled himself out of bed anyway. "Thanks for watching him; I know that's not exactly how most college kids want to spend their nights. Are you free this evening?"

"Yea, I just have to do a few assignments".

"I want to do a family night tonight; we haven't done that in a while".

Kathleen's face lit at the mention of a family night. She had loved them as a child. They would order pizza, play board games, and even watch some movies. Even though she was a sophomore in college, they were still fun.

"Awesome! I have to go, but I'll text you later".

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Olivia was having the best dream. She was finally in Paris. She had longed to take a trip to Paris ever since she was a teenager, and that's exactly where Elliot took her. They were in the middle of dinner at the Eiffel Tower when he kneeled down on one knee in front of her. She felt like her heart stopped and speed up all at the same time. A few tears escaped when he unveiled the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.

"Olivia Benson, you are amazing. I knew that you were the one since they day we met. I can't imagine what my life would be like without you, and I don't want to. You are my best friend and my partner, but that's not enough for me anymore. Olivia, will you marry me?"

She cupped his face in her hands, bringing him close. She kissed him deeply, putting everything she felt for him in it. She was breathless by the time she pulled away.

"Liv? Olivia, you need to wake up" he said, confusing her.

"Huh?"

"Liv, it's time to wake up" he said once more.

She gasped as she finally came back to reality. Elliot had his hand on her shoulder, trying to wake her up.

"What's going on?" she asked once she got her bearings.

Elliot chuckled at the mixture of shock and confusion on her face. She must have been really into her dream.

"I made breakfast. The twins are up and I'm sure that Eli has been chomping at the bit to play with you". He ran his hand through her messy hair, causing her to blush.

"I probably look like hell" she whined, as she pulled her hair into a loose bun.

"You're beautiful. You're always beautiful, Liv" he whispered in her ear before kissing her.

She felt a flutter in her chest at his words. No man had ever made her_ feel_ as beautiful as Elliot did. Most men only said it to get her to go to bed with them, but she knew that Elliot was genuine.

"Come on, the kids are waiting. I hope you're in the mood for some French toast".

Olivia tried to hold in her laughter, but she couldn't. Elliot looked at her like she was insane, but she didn't care.

"Great, I love Fran-I mean French toast".

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"How are we going to do this?" Olivia asked, handing Elliot another dish to dry. Breakfast had been pretty quiet. Lizzie was barely even ate her food and Dickie refused to say a word. They wanted to know what was going on with Kathy, but Elliot wanted them to at least eat something before their day was ruined. Olivia wasn't sure if he wanted her to be a part of this or not.

"I think that we should do this one on one. Lizzie is going to be a mess and Dickie won't let anything show if he sees Lizzie breaking apart".

Olivia nodded. He knew his kids well. After talking to victims every day for years, this situation should be a walk in the park to handle, but this was different. They were his children.

"I think I should talk to Dickie". Olivia felt that after last night, Dickie might take it a little better coming from her.

"Alright, I'll go tell Lizzie".

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"So you're telling me that my mom didn't come home because she overdosed on cocaine?"

"If you want to be blunt about it, yes".

Dickie reclined against his pillows and crossed his arms over his chest. Olivia watched as he shook his head, almost not believing that this was serious.

"_My _mother, the woman that had a melt down over me being out fifteen minutes past my curfew, is doing drugs?"

"I'm sorry, but yes".

The next thing she knew, the picture frame that had been on Dickie's end table went flying across the room. The glass shattered all over the floor, making a big mess in front of the door. He started pacing the room, trying to get control.

"Dickie, you need to take a minute and calm down" she said in a soothing voice as she placed her hands on his shoulders, stopping him in his track.

"I'm just so-so mad! I don't know why" he gritted. She honestly didn't expect this from Dickie. If it were Elliot, she would have been prepared, but Dickie surprised her.

"It's okay to be mad honey. It really is, but I think that we should try to talk about this before we throw anything else".

He reluctantly sat down on his bed as Olivia coaxed him to.

"She is going to be in Mercy General for a few more days. After that, she's heading to rehab program that your father and I picked out for her. She won't be allowed to have any contact with you guys for the first two weeks, but after that, you can call her whenever".

Dickie nodded, but he quickly fell apart. He covered his face with his pillow and cried. Olivia let him go for a minute. Sometimes a good cry was exactly what you needed.

"Liv?"

"Yes?"

"Why is this happening? Why can't we go back to being a normal family?"

Olivia felt a wave of guilt crash over her. He just wanted things to be the way they were before, before his parents turned his whole life upside down.

"I can't answer that…none of us can. However, I think it's a good thing this is happening".

He shot her a look that said '_what drugs are you on?'_.

"You don't realize this now, but your mother is very lucky that she overdosed".

"Liv, what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Dickie was growing frustrated again and Olivia knew that she had to get to the point before he went off on her.

"When my mother was in her twenties, she was raped. I am the product of that rape. Apparently, I have my father's eyes and because of that…she had a lot of issues. She was an alcoholic, a very mean alcoholic. She never got help and eventually…the alcohol killed her". Olivia felt the sting of unshed tears in her eyes, but she refused to cry over this.

"I'm very sorry that you had to grow up with that, but that really didn't make me feel any better".

Olivia chuckled a bit.

"It wasn't supposed to, I have more to say. My mother never had to face the consequences of what she was doing until it was too late. Your mother was lucky enough to get a wakeup call before she was too far in. She w_ants_ to get better for you kids. She hasn't been doing cocaine long enough for it to have complete control of her life and her choices. It will take a little while, but things will be alright".

"How are we going to manage things without her? Dad is never here and I don't think that Lizzie and I can handle taking care of Eli all the time".

"Your father is going to talk to Captain Cragen and try to find a schedule that works. As for Eli, he goes to day care while you're at school and…"

"And?"

"I'm going to be staying here while your mother is away".

"Really?"

"Only if it's okay with you and your sister".

His expression was unreadable, which drove her insane. She wanted him to be okay with it, but if he wasn't, she would stay away.

"I think that'll be really nice" he said with a small smile. Olivia released the breath that she was holding, happy that one kid was okay with it.

"Why don't I clean up that glass for you?"

"Nah, I threw it, I'll clean it up. Oh, and Liv, I think dad is going to like this set up too".

By the cocky grin on his face, Olivia knew that Dickie knew exactly how his dad felt about the situation.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, playing innocent.

"First rule when it comes to hiding a relationship: don't kiss in the living room".

Olivia felt the blush creep up on her cheeks as she made her way to the door, carefully stepping over the glass.

"To be fair, I wasn't fully awake yet" she defended before leaving the room to check on Eli.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"How'd it go with Lizzie?" Olivia asked as Elliot plopped down on the couch next to her.

"As expected: some tears, some yelling, and some questions I wasn't able to answer. What about Dickie?"

"I think it went pretty well. He only broke one picture frame".

Elliot let out a hardy laugh, loving the fact that his son was so much like him.

"Well, I guess that could have been much worse". He smiled when he saw Eli passed out on her lap. Olivia's connection to his youngest child warmed his heart.

"Did you tell Lizzie about us?"

She really wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer. What if he told her and she flipped out?

"No…Dickie got to her first. That boy never could keep a secret. When Kathleen turned sixteen, we threw a big surprise party for her. Well, we all thought it was a surprise, but it turns out that he told her two weeks before it happened".

"Was that story your way of stalling, or did you just want me to know that?" she asked, hoping that he would just tell her if Lizzie was okay with it.

"Relax, Liv, she said that she knew it was coming sooner or later. She's happy that I'm happy".

Olivia was not satisfied with that. She needed to talk to Lizzie herself just to make sure. She handed Eli over to Elliot and ran to the steps.

"What are you doing?" he called after her.

"We need a girl talk!" she yelled back.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Please go away" Lizzie said. She really didn't want to talk anymore.

"Elizabeth, we really need to talk". Olivia knocked again, but louder. Lizzie needed to know that she wasn't going anywhere until they talked.

"I'm really not in the mood for another talk…and don't call me that!"

Olivia rolled her eyes and turned the knob, happy that the door wasn't locked.

"What part of 'no' did you not understand?"

"Lizzie, I think we should talk".

Lizzie moved over and made room for Olivia to sit on the bed. Her dad always said that Olivia was stubborn.

"What do you want? I already told dad that I'm fine with it".

Olivia nodded, knowing that Elliot full heartedly believed that, but she knew that it was not fine.

"I may not have had a father growing up, but over the years I have learned that men don't know what the word 'fine' means to a woman. I know that this isn't fine to you and I-"

"Olivia, please just give it a rest. I just don't want to talk".

Olivia lay down and patted the spot next to her. Lizzie rolled her eyes and lay down next to her.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong".

"Liv, I just need some time to catch up with everything. I just found out that my mom has been doing drugs and I won't get to see her until she's clean. Then I get told by my two minute older brother that you guys are dating and I just don't know how I feel about that. You're great Liv, and I thank you for everything you've done for us, but I need some time to adjust to everything". Olivia grabbed Lizzie's hand and gave it a firm squeeze.

"I'm really sorry that you had to find out through Dickie. We were going to wait to tell you guys until…well really until we at least had a first date".

Lizzie sat up so fast that Olivia nearly fell out of the bed. "What do you mean until we at least had a first date? You guys really haven't gone on a date?"

Olivia shook her head. "We only got together a few days ago and as you know, things have been busy".

"So you guys are still adjusting too?" the younger girl asked.

"Well of course. It's not like we're getting married tomorrow or anything. If I'm being honest, I'm a little scared. I've never had a big family before and now I'm throwing myself into a house with two teenagers and a toddler".

Olivia could tell that Lizzie was no longer mad at her. She was now smiling and back to her old self.

"I know that I didn't want to talk, but thank you for not listening to me. I feel a lot better knowing that I'm not alone. But, I'm going to kick dad's butt if he doesn't take you out soon".

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"You were up there for over an hour, is everything alright?" Elliot asked as soon as Liv was back in sight. He hadn't moved from the couch since he was enjoying his time with Eli.

"Everything's great. We just needed to have a girl talk".

**AN: So, what do you think? I can't wait to hear from ya!**


End file.
